Lawmakers Push for Transit Funding Lockbox

Republican New York State Senator Marty Golden and Democratic Assemblyman James Brennan introduced legislation to create a “lockbox” for state transit funds.

They say this would prevent Governor Andrew Cuomo and other state officials from taking specially marked MTA funds and using them for other state business, like balancing the budget.

Gene Russianoff with the New York Straphanger’s Campaign said the MTA needs that money to prevent service cuts. “Without stable funding, the transit system has a hard time delivering the services it’s supposed to deliver.”

J.P. Patassio with the MTA’s largest union, TWU Local 100, said taxpayers aren’t getting what they paid for. He described the current situation as “taxation without representation.”

Advocates said New York diverted over $100 million in transit funds last year.